Allen Foster

Allen Foster is a Reader in Information Science at Aberystwyth University, with expertise in information management, information behavior, and interdisciplinary research. He holds degrees in Social History and Information Management and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

• Current roles: Senior Tutor, Investigative Officer, Head of Department, Director of Postgraduate Studies, PGR Coordinator, Deputy Dean of Social Science, Senate Member
• External roles: Joint Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Information Science, Editorial Board Member for ASLIB: Journal of Information Management, AHRC Peer Review College member, and international conference committee member

Research Interests span human information behavior, serendipity, information literacy, knowledge management, mediated communication, and digital transformation. His work bridges theoretical models with practical applications in health, justice systems, and technological adoption.

Notable Trends in his 39 research outputs include ORCID integration in academia, music playlist analysis, nonlinear information-seeking models, and informal scholarly communication. His recent work focuses on resistance to monitoring systems and serendipity engineering.

Scientific Awards

• Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Teaching and Supervision include courses on information services planning, digital literacy, and knowledge architecture. He has supervised over 20 PhD/DProf students and numerous Master’s students.

External Contributions involve refereeing for journals, AHRC funding panels, Chilean advisory boards, and consultancy for libraries.